Traditional Braces

These are metal brackets attached to the teeth permanently for the duration of the treatment to realign them. Small metal brackets are glued onto the teeth and a wire, called the archwire, is threaded through them and anchored on the brackets on the back teeth. The archwire pushes and pulls the teeth to get them into the right arc in the mouth.

In order to move the teeth sideways in the arc small elastic bands and springs are fitted between the brackets to pull them together or push them apart respectively.

Do they hurt?

No not really. When it is first fitted you will feel a little discomfort from the pressure being applied but it subsides after 2 or 3 days. Every 5 weeks or so you will need new elastic bands (as they lose their elasticity over time) and again things will feel a little tight for a couple of days but after that you won't notice it.

What foods can I eat?

You can eat pretty much what you normally do but there are some foods you should avoid as they can damage the brace.

Hard, crunchy food like nuts, crisps and ice can snap the brackets off, as can biting into hard food like apples. You should also avoid very chewy/sticky food like gum, caramel and liquorice.